Perception: The “Look” of Your Video

One Type of Lens Distortion (Note how the round table is distorted)

Videography has reached incredible heights in portraying messages. We can control absolutely every aspect of what we see in a video, but one thing might be overlooked due to budget, or simply because it is not readily accessible: Perception. At Skillman Video Group, we focus on big & small details to suit all of your needs; even those that you may not yet be aware of.

Say, a client wants to express their Architecture business through video. For a successful marketing video, the “Look” is one of the most important aspects to get the message across. It is important to make sure that the perception of a product does not get distorted in any negative way. However, at SVG we take this a step further:

Proper Lens Perception

The type of lenses in a video causes the image to be displayed in a very specific way. For example, architects showcasing their work would want to stay away from Wide-Angle lenses that are too “short.” This is because the shorter the lens, the more of a “fish-eye” distortion it may create. Everyone’s heard of the “Fish-Eye lens.” It is just a VERY wide mm (< than 10mm) lens that makes everything look as if it’s viewed from a fish’s perspective, hence the name.

What occurs with short lenses is that straight lines may become distorted, and that the beautiful building you are trying to get in the shot will look like the tower of Pisa were to be bending in the middle.

Sure, some may like this look for artistic reasons, or because it makes everything look BIGGER, but for pragmatic situations such as showcasing the straight lines of a work as being properly straight on camera, this is just another aspect that has to be considered. With a photograph, there are many ways around image distortion. But with video, it can get much more challenging. It is better to take care of the distortion challenges before shooting, than later on in post.

At SVG, clients can be assured that we cover all the angles and take every step during pre-production; meanwhile, the client can focus on the message they want to express, and confidently leave the technical aspect to SVG.